ABSTRACT
Retinol deficient rat liver, kidney and spleen showed a significant decrease in their enzyme activity (36% to 50%) compared to controls. The lectins could stimulate the enzyme activity in retinol deficient group by 57.6 to 92%, compared to controls (13.3% to 74%). Detergents increased the enzyme activity in retinol deficient tissue microsomes by 4.5%-80% in comparison to controls (10.3% to 119%). The results reveal alterations in membrane structure induced by retinol deficiency.
Subject(s)
5'-Nucleotidase/metabolism , Animals , Kidney/enzymology , Liver/enzymology , Male , Rats , Spleen/enzymology , Vitamin A Deficiency/enzymologyABSTRACT
Xerophthalmia is a commonly encountered nutritional disorder that affects the growing population of the world. Conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells contain peroxidase enzyme. In experimentally induced Vitamin A deficiency conjunctival and corneal peroxidases are markedly lowered indicating direct or indirect relation of Vitamin A to epithelial functional integrity.